. >>> it looks like he downed the 200s. >> in cities across the country, this scene plays out every day. i saw it myself on a ride-along with lieutenant john fisk of the seattle fire department. person had three die laud id, two methadone. >> this patient's dose, an anti-seizure medication and a couple of powerful painkillers. >> he may have stockpiled some of his own and taken it afterwards. >> it's called stacking, prescription pills stacked on top of other pills, each one amplifying the previous one's effect. >> i'd say it probably began about ten years ago. >> dr. steven anderson, an e.r. doctor in washington state, sees the end result of stacking virtually every time he goes to work. >> i've taken two vicodin before, no problem. i've taken a valium to sleep before. no problem. i've had a couple of drinks before. no problem. but all of a sudden, you add all of those into the same scenario, and it adds up and causes the complications. >> you're talking about, when you say stacking, sounds like it is making it exponentially worse. >> exactly. >> here's why. pop a pain pill, and you ge